Being a parent is often described as “the hardest job in the world” -and it’s true. There’s no manual, no checklist: every family has to find its own way.

Teaching Aikido, coaching a sport, or working with children in any educational setting means much more than teaching techniques. It means supporting families in the full development of young people. This requires responsibility, empathy, and awareness: what happens on the mat or on the field echoes in a child’s life.

Today families face enormous pressures. Statistics show that one in two marriages ends in separation, and research highlights that cohabiting couples are even more fragile. In this context, children absorb not only values but also tensions and insecurities.

That’s why both parents and coaches need to provide stability, clarity, and authentic spaces for growth. It’s not about offering endless activities or following trends, but about guiding with consistency and avoiding constant changes that confuse or destabilize.

With teenagers the challenge grows: they’re no longer children, but not yet adults. They need adults who can truly stand by them -not just “ATMs” or wannabe buddies.

Coaches and educators have a crucial role: not gurus, not amateur psychologists, but responsible adults who, with courage and empathy, support young people and work alongside families to raise the men and women of tomorrow.

Disclaimer: picture by Pixabay from Pexels